


this ain’t no cross to bury

by Sway



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Future Fic, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 21:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6724375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sway/pseuds/Sway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike has enough. They have played the avoidance game for weeks now. Or at least he has and Harvey keeps bending the rules.</p>
            </blockquote>





	this ain’t no cross to bury

**Author's Note:**

> written for mander3_swish for the 100 Ways To Say 'I love you' - prompt #79 "I’ll still be here when you’re ready"
> 
> title is from “how did you love” by Shinedown

“What do you want from me, Harvey?”

“I just want to talk to you.”

“I figured that but I have nothing to say to you. So what else?”

Mike has enough. They have played the avoidance game for weeks now. Or at least he has and Harvey keeps bending the rules.

“At least listen to what I have to say.”

“I heard plenty of what you had to say twenty years ago. There’s no news there.”

“Mike…”

Enough! “No, Harvey. It’s done. In fact, it was done when you went to prison and you told me you never wanted to see me again.”

“That’s not what that letter…”

“It’s what it meant, though, wasn’t it? You took that deal, you played the martyr, and you left me behind, making me feel like an idiot for thinking….” He can’t say it and he won’t give Harvey the satisfaction of making the foolish attempt. “Twenty years, Harvey. Twenty fucking years.”

“You still don’t understand, do you? Why I did that? What I wrote you that letter?”

“Honestly, I don’t care. Not anymore.”

“Because I couldn’t stand seeing you walk away.”

That takes Mike by surprise and just for a moment, he doesn’t feel the urge to run away. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know what it means, Mike.”

Mike can’t help but laugh. Even more so when he sees the look on Harvey’s face. There’s no humor in his laugh, though, just mirth accumulated over the past twenty years. “You still believe it was your choice to make?”

“I…”

“No, you listen to me now, Harvey. I had made up my mind. I would have taken the two years, you would have stayed on the bar, and it all would have worked out in the end. Instead you go and play the hero, no matter the consequences.”

“No matter the consequences? I did that for you. So you could have a life.”

“And what kind of a life would that be, huh? I still couldn’t practice law anymore, the wedding didn’t happen because my best man prefered to be incarcerated, Rachel left me and went to Stanford. Everything had gone to shit. It took me years to build myself something new. And all because of a choice you thought was yours.”

“She left you because you weren’t a lawyer anymore?”

Mike looks him as if he’s just asked the most ridiculous question known to men. And he has, really. It should all be clear by now. Maybe being in prison for two decades has watered down the once brilliant mind of Harvey Specter.

“No, Harvey. Me not being a lawyer had nothing to do with it. She left me because of you.”

“Excuse me?”

“She left me because I chose you.”

“What?”

“She left me because I would have done everything to keep you from going to prison. Because I never would have given you up. Because I…”

“Mike, don’t. Don’t say it. Not like this.”

“Don’t worry, Harvey. That ship has long since sailed.”

“Well, it hasn’t for me.”

“Don’t, Harvey. Don’t you dare. You can’t do that.”

“I won’t.”

Harvey turns to walk away. (Finally.)

“Harvey…”

How did things change from Mike wanting nothing more than Harvey to stay away from him to him calling after the other man. Twice. 

“Harvey!”

“You already know.” He doesn’t say it to Mike. “You know where to find me when you’re ready to listen.”

**Author's Note:**

> So after the season finale I had this idea for an AU fic. This piece was written for the prompt but could have been from that fic. It never really took off and with writing this, I now jinxed it entirely. I hope you still enjoyed it, though.


End file.
